April 2010: Small Business News Alert

In Small Business News Alert - April 2010, we look at more statistics showing that business conditions are recovering rapidly, even if not quite as rapidly as we might like. We also look at some of the ways you can get your business ready for a year in which the Australian economy seems set to grow strongly.

One possible result of that growth could be a return to the fierce competition for skilled staff we saw going into the downturn. That could see more employers trying to attract and keep skilled workers by creating a flexible environment that helps them fulfil their responsibilities at home, as well as at work. Certainly the federal government is encouraging businesses to do just that, with new rules to promote family-friendly workplaces. We look at that initiative in this issue too.

As always, there's plenty to think about. If you would like to find out more about any of the topics discussed in this issue, or talk about their implications for your business, contact your Local Business Banker or call the team on 13 1998, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They'll be pleased to help.

In this issue

	Australian business owners are more optimistic than ever. Australian business owners expect business conditions to rebound strongly during 2010, according to the latest Commonwealth Bank – ACCI Business Expectations Survey. Read article...
	Planning for growth Over the past few weeks we've seen further confirmation that the Australian economy is rebounding strongly. In the last quarter of 2009, our economy expanded by 0.9%, giving us an annual growth rate of 2.7% — the best result in almost two years. Read article...
	Register now for our free small business forums To help you plan more effectively for the year ahead, we'd like to invite you to one of our free small business forums, happening now around Australia. Read article...
	Older Australians lead spending growth Older Australians have been leading the way on consumer spending, while Generation Y has suffered most from the financial crisis, according to a new report from the Commonwealth Bank. Read article...
	Creating family-friendly workplaces The first of January saw the introduction of the Federal Government's new National Employment Standards, which set out 10 minimum conditions for employees covered by the national workplace relations system. Read article...

• Important information. 
  As this advice has been prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs, you should before acting on this advice, consider its appropriateness to your circumstances including by considering the terms and conditions of any product or service mentioned.